Bangkok Braces For Unstoppable Flood Waters

[webfact]

Bangkok braces for unstoppable flood waters

by Anusak Konglang

BANGKOK, October 24, 2011 (AFP) - Millions of people in the Thai capital nervously prepared for advancing and seemingly unstoppable floodwaters on Monday after residents in areas deemed most at threat were urged to leave.

Bangkok authorities warned that large volumes of water were flowing towards the low-lying capital and were closing in on six of Bangkok's 50 districts, including areas just north of the city centre.

Adding to concerns was the danger posed by crocodiles, after a number of the reptiles escaped from flooded farms. Some of the animals had been captured in one province north of Bangkok.

The World Health Organisation also told people to beware of electrocution and snake bites while warning that infections and water-borne and communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea, were key concerns for flood victims.

"If water keeps coming into those six districts the situation may reach dangerous or critical levels," city governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said in a televised address.

His administration called late Sunday on residents in these areas who faced "potential dangers to lives and properties" to evacuate to emergency shelters, with priority given to the young, sick and elderly.

The announcement came after the Thai government said it would set up a distribution centre in the capital to help replenish empty supermarket shelves in preparation for the floods, which have so far largely spared the city.

Other parts of the country have been plagued by three months of heavy monsoon rains that have killed more than 350 people in Thailand and damaged the homes and livelihoods of nine million people.

The six Bangkok districts now of pressing concern include Chatujak, home to a giant weekend market popular with tourists, and Don Mueang, where the city's second largest airport is currently doubling up as a flood refuge centre.

"If anything affects Bangkok it will have an impact on the whole country," Sukhumbhand said.

Hospitals in flood-risk zones have been instructed by the public health ministry to stockpile medicines and other supplies to last as long as three weeks.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra again rejected criticism that her administration was not keeping the public fully informed, telling reporters there was "no cover-up but new factors arise every day".

Yet the premier "will definitely lose some support" over her handling of the crisis, according to Paul Chambers, Director of Research at the Southeast Asian Institute of Global Studies at Payap University in Chiang Mai.

"Whether it will jeopardise her government is yet to be determined," he told AFP.

In the city centre, residents stocked up on food and bottled water and piles of sandbags were mounting around buildings.

"I'm more worried about having enough food," said advertising executive Benjamas Ngamsuriyaphong, 28, in the upmarket food hall of a department store, complaining that "only the expensive water" was left on the shelves.

The government has said it would on Tuesday discuss economic measures to help flood-affected factories get back on track, with financial aid and tax incentives among the ideas mooted.

Authorities are desperately trying to drain billions of cubic metres of water from upcountry out to sea through rivers and canals in and around the city by opening sluice gates in the capital -- a risky strategy.

A major test is expected between October 28 and 30 when seasonal high tides flow up Bangkok's Chao Phraya river, meeting run-off water from the north.

Yingluck has said the city should prepare for possible inundation up to one metre (three feet) deep and warned it could take six weeks for the flooding to recede.

Thammasat University, serving as a shelter to the north of Bangkok, began evacuating people early on Monday after water levels inside the campus reached 1.5 metres, vice rector Kampol Ruchiwit said on television.

Across the country, more than 110,000 evacuees have been forced to seek refuge and tens of thousands of soldiers and police have been mobilised to maintain order.

Most of Thailand's top tourist destinations and the capital's main airport have so far been unaffected.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-10-24

[Thormaturge]

Six districts. Chatuchack, Don Mueang and.......?

[alexakap]

Chatuchack, Don Mueang and.......?

...and "the rest".

My Soi 20 min ago (Pathumthani).

Yesterday it was not that bad....

Edited October 24, 2011 by alexakap

[rubl]

Across the country, more than 110,000 evacuees have been forced to seek refuge in 1,743 shelters to escape the waters.

How many people were living in Bangkok? Wasn't that 10 - 12 million? Imagine if only a few percent of them need to be evacuated

[thaicbr]

Pm just said to restrict the water flow as bkk is getting to much.

TV breaking news...PM orders Irrigation Department to slow down release of water into capital, urges public, private sectors to allow employees days off /

[Scott]

A series of nasty comments and replies to it have been deleted.

Please stay on-topic and don't respond to inflammatory posts.

[OzMick]

Pm just said to restrict the water flow as bkk is getting to much.

TV breaking news...PM orders Irrigation Department to slow down release of water into capital, urges public, private sectors to allow employees days off /

Every toilet cistern has a level control device. In Thailand, it needs the PM.

No, I'm not calling Thailand a toilet cistern, nor am I entering into any conversation re ball-cocks.

[serenitynow]

Across the country, more than 110,000 evacuees have been forced to seek refuge in 1,743 shelters to escape the waters.

How many people were living in Bangkok? Wasn't that 10 - 12 million? Imagine if only a few percent of them need to be evacuated

A lot of people forget that Bangkok isn't a city of "elites" like they imagine it to be. Yes they're there but their numbers are dwarved by the lower middle classes and the impoverished. Many of those impoverished live in slums and many of those slums line the canals. They will be the first to be hit and they will lose everything.

I'm not talking about what's right or wrong, but what IS. Frankly, most of the construction in Bangkok should have never happened, but that's another thread for another day.

[animatic]

Pm just said to restrict the water flow as bkk is getting to much.

TV breaking news...PM orders Irrigation Department to slow down release of water into capital, urges public, private sectors to allow employees days off /

Every toilet cistern has a level control device. In Thailand, it needs the PM.

No, I'm not calling Thailand a toilet cistern, nor am I entering into any conversation re ball-cocks.

How about Bald Cockups?

[webfact]

Thai Floods Spill Into Northern Bangkok After Armed Men Prevent Levee Work

Thai floodwaters spilled into northern Bangkok today after armed men stopped workers from building a sandbag levee and a water gate broke, elevating concerns the deluge will spread to inner parts of the capital.

Water surged onto a major street near Bangkok’s northern border, inundating passenger cars and a hospital, according to images broadcast on military-owned Channel 5 television station. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra last night warned residents of six northern districts to move belongings to higher ground as the water approached.

“There is a huge amount of water coming into Bangkok,” Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today. “From the models, there will be low-level areas that will be flooded. There is some difficulty in diverting the water into the sea.”

The levees protecting Bangkok, which sits on a river basin the size of Florida that drains into the Gulf of Thailand, have slowed the dispersal of floodwaters that have swamped farmland and forced Honda Motor Co. and Canon Inc. to shut factories. The deluge has spurred tensions between residents in areas north of the capital who want the water drained quickly to the gulf, and Bangkok inhabitants aiming to protect the city. [more]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-23/thailand-s-navy-downplays-flooding-concern-while-waters-threaten-bangkok.html

-- bloomberg.com 2011-10-24

[TAWP]

Military truck carrying evacuees capsizes after driving into a drain near Wat Lad Praduk, Kanchanapisek Rd:

http://www.tweetdeck.com/twitter/tukky_nt/~HGkHm

Edited October 24, 2011 by TAWP

[Maestro]

Six districts. Chatuchack, Don Mueang and.......?

Reminder: Both Bangkok Administration and FROC issued warnings for residents in Don Muang, Bang Kaen, Lak Si, Chatuchak, Sai Mai to be prepared for flood today. /TAN_Network

Source:

One district still missing in the above list.

[Crushdepth]

Thai Floods Spill Into Northern Bangkok After Armed Men Prevent Levee Work

Thai floodwaters spilled into northern Bangkok today after armed men stopped workers from building a sandbag levee and a water gate broke, elevating concerns the deluge will spread to inner parts of the capital.

Water surged onto a major street near Bangkok’s northern border, inundating passenger cars and a hospital, according to images broadcast on military-owned Channel 5 television station. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra last night warned residents of six northern districts to move belongings to higher ground as the water approached.

“There is a huge amount of water coming into Bangkok,” Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today. “From the models, there will be low-level areas that will be flooded. There is some difficulty in diverting the water into the sea.”

The levees protecting Bangkok, which sits on a river basin the size of Florida that drains into the Gulf of Thailand, have slowed the dispersal of floodwaters that have swamped farmland and forced Honda Motor Co. and Canon Inc. to shut factories. The deluge has spurred tensions between residents in areas north of the capital who want the water drained quickly to the gulf, and Bangkok inhabitants aiming to protect the city. [more]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-23/thailand-s-navy-downplays-flooding-concern-while-waters-threaten-bangkok.html

-- bloomberg.com 2011-10-24

Slowly her position is converging with that of Plodprasob.

[tracy3eyes]

Pm just said to restrict the water flow as bkk is getting to much.

TV breaking news...PM orders Irrigation Department to slow down release of water into capital, urges public, private sectors to allow employees days off /

Every toilet cistern has a level control device. In Thailand, it needs the PM.

No, I'm not calling Thailand a toilet cistern, nor am I entering into any conversation re ball-cocks.

How about Bald Cockups?

Bad Cockups?? I always thought that Cockups were a good thing to have.

In this case its Bangkokup!

[OzMick]

Across the country, more than 110,000 evacuees have been forced to seek refuge in 1,743 shelters to escape the waters.

How many people were living in Bangkok? Wasn't that 10 - 12 million? Imagine if only a few percent of them need to be evacuated

A lot of people forget that Bangkok isn't a city of "elites" like they imagine it to be. Yes they're there but their numbers are dwarved by the lower middle classes and the impoverished. Many of those impoverished live in slums and many of those slums line the canals. They will be the first to be hit and they will lose everything.

I'm not talking about what's right or wrong, but what IS. Frankly, most of the construction in Bangkok should have never happened, but that's another thread for another day.

I remember on my 1st trip to Manila many years back, the jeepney from the airport stopped on a bridge spanning a huge concrete lined floodway, dry except for a trickle down the centre. Either side INSIDE the channel for as far as you could see, people had built shacks that no doubt would be washed away in the 1st heavy rain.

[robblok]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

[Crushdepth]

Six districts. Chatuchack, Don Mueang and.......?

Reminder: Both Bangkok Administration and FROC issued warnings for residents in Don Muang, Bang Kaen, Lak Si, Chatuchak, Sai Mai to be prepared for flood today. /TAN_Network

Source:

One district still missing in the above list.

Bang Sue. With the exception of Sai Mai, it's all the stuff south of Don Mueang along Viphavadi, towards the city.

[TAWP]

Thai Floods Spill Into Northern Bangkok After Armed Men Prevent Levee Work

Thai floodwaters spilled into northern Bangkok today after armed men stopped workers from building a sandbag levee and a water gate broke, elevating concerns the deluge will spread to inner parts of the capital.

Water surged onto a major street near Bangkok’s northern border, inundating passenger cars and a hospital, according to images broadcast on military-owned Channel 5 television station. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra last night warned residents of six northern districts to move belongings to higher ground as the water approached.

“There is a huge amount of water coming into Bangkok,” Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today. “From the models, there will be low-level areas that will be flooded. There is some difficulty in diverting the water into the sea.”

The levees protecting Bangkok, which sits on a river basin the size of Florida that drains into the Gulf of Thailand, have slowed the dispersal of floodwaters that have swamped farmland and forced Honda Motor Co. and Canon Inc. to shut factories. The deluge has spurred tensions between residents in areas north of the capital who want the water drained quickly to the gulf, and Bangkok inhabitants aiming to protect the city. [more]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-23/thailand-s-navy-downplays-flooding-concern-while-waters-threaten-bangkok.html

-- bloomberg.com 2011-10-24

Slowly her position is converging with that of Plodprasob.

More importantly, now that the PM is realigning her position to that of Gov. Sukhumbhand, will Hammered post vile words of her actions/decisions and how hated she is?

[Crushdepth]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

How do you know? You are making a huge assumption here and with nothing but a gut feeling and some very sad wishful thinking to back it up. Frankly I doubt that it would have made any difference. The canals are peanuts compared to the flow of the river, and we are talking about draining central Thailand here.

[tracy3eyes]

Thai Floods Spill Into Northern Bangkok After Armed Men Prevent Levee Work

Thai floodwaters spilled into northern Bangkok today after armed men stopped workers from building a sandbag levee and a water gate broke, elevating concerns the deluge will spread to inner parts of the capital.

Water surged onto a major street near Bangkok's northern border, inundating passenger cars and a hospital, according to images broadcast on military-owned Channel 5 television station. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra last night warned residents of six northern districts to move belongings to higher ground as the water approached.

"There is a huge amount of water coming into Bangkok," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today. "From the models, there will be low-level areas that will be flooded. There is some difficulty in diverting the water into the sea."

The levees protecting Bangkok, which sits on a river basin the size of Florida that drains into the Gulf of Thailand, have slowed the dispersal of floodwaters that have swamped farmland and forced Honda Motor Co. and Canon Inc. to shut factories. The deluge has spurred tensions between residents in areas north of the capital who want the water drained quickly to the gulf, and Bangkok inhabitants aiming to protect the city. [more]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg...en-bangkok.html

-- bloomberg.com 2011-10-24

Slowly her position is converging with that of Plodprasob.

More importantly, now that the PM is realigning her position to that of Gov. Sukhumbhand, will Hammered post vile words of her actions/decisions and how hated she is?

Its all BangkokedUp

[serenitynow]

Thai Floods Spill Into Northern Bangkok After Armed Men Prevent Levee Work

Thai floodwaters spilled into northern Bangkok today after armed men stopped workers from building a sandbag levee and a water gate broke, elevating concerns the deluge will spread to inner parts of the capital.

Water surged onto a major street near Bangkok's northern border, inundating passenger cars and a hospital, according to images broadcast on military-owned Channel 5 television station. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra last night warned residents of six northern districts to move belongings to higher ground as the water approached.

"There is a huge amount of water coming into Bangkok," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters today. "From the models, there will be low-level areas that will be flooded. There is some difficulty in diverting the water into the sea."

The levees protecting Bangkok, which sits on a river basin the size of Florida that drains into the Gulf of Thailand, have slowed the dispersal of floodwaters that have swamped farmland and forced Honda Motor Co. and Canon Inc. to shut factories. The deluge has spurred tensions between residents in areas north of the capital who want the water drained quickly to the gulf, and Bangkok inhabitants aiming to protect the city. [more]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg...en-bangkok.html

-- bloomberg.com 2011-10-24

Slowly her position is converging with that of Plodprasob.

More importantly, now that the PM is realigning her position to that of Gov. Sukhumbhand, will Hammered post vile words of her actions/decisions and how hated she is?

I couldn't understand his accusations against the Bangkok governor. Yingluck took command on Friday with her disaster warning. On Saturday the governor was begging FROC to do their job but no response was forthcoming. She got the control and then failed to exercise her stated intentions. Maybe the governor was right all along? Maybe because he attended Oxford and she attended America's 3,000th best college? You know, sometimes intelligence matters.

Edited October 24, 2011 by serenitynow

[robblok]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

How do you know? You are making a huge assumption here and with nothing but a gut feeling and some very sad wishful thinking to back it up. Frankly I doubt that it would have made any difference. The canals are peanuts compared to the flow of the river, and we are talking about draining central Thailand here.

True, but every little bit helps, but you don't seem to understand what is coming. Every little bit would have helped. You have as much hard knowledge as me and also a gut feeling.

I agree that the river is the main thing to drain. But all the land for miles left and right of the river is flooded. So opening the canals would have helped there.

Bangkok should have taken the risk earlier and are now feeling the results of not acting.

Weeks people are reporting no movement in the canals only now then its almost too late you guys started.

[FalangBaa]

According to the latest Google flood map (updated 5 hours ago) (http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?vpsrc=1&ctz=-420&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=218138482391059342984.000492e56b7863b0ebfb7&t=m&ll=15.125358,100.594881&spn=4.198784,1.897782&source=embed) the area around BKK airport is already under water. This includes large stretches of Latkrabang Road around the airport. True or not?

[elcent]

Pm just said to restrict the water flow as bkk is getting to much.

TV breaking news...PM orders Irrigation Department to slow down release of water into capital, urges public, private sectors to allow employees days off /

the flood gates shouldn't have been ordered to open at first, not even 50%, 30% or even 10%. The Klongs can only handle the high tides and drain the rains in the city which is on it's limits since years. Sigh ...

[rubl]

True, but every little bit helps, but you don't seem to understand what is coming. Every little bit would have helped. You have as much hard knowledge as me and also a gut feeling.

I agree that the river is the main thing to drain. But all the land for miles left and right of the river is flooded. So opening the canals would have helped there.

Bangkok should have taken the risk earlier and are now feeling the results of not acting.

Weeks people are reporting no movement in the canals only now then its almost too late you guys started.

If there's just too much water (I'm quoting PM Yingluck here) opening canals might not have helped too much. With flooding of meters, it will no longer help, at least not where the flooding is. Keep in mind that with massive run-offs even in the Netherlands we let rivers overflow in designated areas as far as possible.

From your local 'mede-kaaskop' and Dutch uncle

[Ijustwannateach]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

How do you know? You are making a huge assumption here and with nothing but a gut feeling and some very sad wishful thinking to back it up. Frankly I doubt that it would have made any difference. The canals are peanuts compared to the flow of the river, and we are talking about draining central Thailand here.

True, but every little bit helps, but you don't seem to understand what is coming. Every little bit would have helped. You have as much hard knowledge as me and also a gut feeling.

I agree that the river is the main thing to drain. But all the land for miles left and right of the river is flooded. So opening the canals would have helped there.

Bangkok should have taken the risk earlier and are now feeling the results of not acting.

Weeks people are reporting no movement in the canals only now then its almost too late you guys started.

I think you are over-personalising this. Although I live in Bangkok, I must have missed that vote on how to handle the flood; indeed, I am very frustrated by the lack of information (maybe my number wasn't on 'the list' of people to call and consult); and additionally I don't seem to be able to locate the buttons on my browser here that control the flood gates.

The flood decisions (and indeed most of the information) are squarely the responsibility and power of a very small number of people, most of whom are at least theoretically in the national government. While the decisions of a small (2 or 3 people, maybe?) number of persons in Bangkok have made a difference, I don't know them, they didn't ask me (or anyone I know here, including many very much not-high-so types) and furthermore if the national government REALLY wanted to, they could assume the authority to override those decisions. Why they haven't done so, I don't know- I keep calling but they put me on hold. Maybe you'll have better luck getting through. A number of people I know, both poor AND rich, would like to get some answers- including a student of mine, whose new house was just finished and then ruined on the outskirts of Bangkok, and a rather underpaid friend of mine whose flat just flooded.

So please be a little more considered about referring to 'you Bangkok people' in reference to having any control over any flood decisions. We don't, and the victimhood, current or potential, of people living here is no less concerning or painful than anywhere else. Your problems are not our (persons who happen to live in Bangkok) faults, and if some of us have trouble, it seems quite strange and immature for anyone to imply we 'deserve' it somehow simply for living here where we have no more control over what decisions are made than 'you people' (not in Bangkok) do.

[anon8]

.. please be a little more considered about referring to 'you Bangkok people' in reference to having any control over any flood decisions. We don't,

Your problems are not our (persons who happen to live in Bangkok) faults, and if some of us have trouble, it seems quite strange and immature for anyone to imply we 'deserve' it somehow simply for living here where we have no more control over what decisions are made than 'you people' (not in Bangkok) do.

Thank you for pointing this out! I've been feeling guilty for last few weeks, only because I live in Bangkok. And I swear, I have NO control of dams, levys, canals etc, I really dont!

[pimay11]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

How do you know? You are making a huge assumption here and with nothing but a gut feeling and some very sad wishful thinking to back it up. Frankly I doubt that it would have made any difference. The canals are peanuts compared to the flow of the river, and we are talking about draining central Thailand here.

True, but every little bit helps, but you don't seem to understand what is coming. Every little bit would have helped. You have as much hard knowledge as me and also a gut feeling.

I agree that the river is the main thing to drain. But all the land for miles left and right of the river is flooded. So opening the canals would have helped there.

Bangkok should have taken the risk earlier and are now feeling the results of not acting.

Weeks people are reporting no movement in the canals only now then its almost too late you guys started.

I think you are over-personalising this. Although I live in Bangkok, I must have missed that vote on how to handle the flood; indeed, I am very frustrated by the lack of information (maybe my number wasn't on 'the list' of people to call and consult); and additionally I don't seem to be able to locate the buttons on my browser here that control the flood gates.

The flood decisions (and indeed most of the information) are squarely the responsibility and power of a very small number of people, most of whom are at least theoretically in the national government. While the decisions of a small (2 or 3 people, maybe?) number of persons in Bangkok have made a difference, I don't know them, they didn't ask me (or anyone I know here, including many very much not-high-so types) and furthermore if the national government REALLY wanted to, they could assume the authority to override those decisions. Why they haven't done so, I don't know- I keep calling but they put me on hold. Maybe you'll have better luck getting through. A number of people I know, both poor AND rich, would like to get some answers- including a student of mine, whose new house was just finished and then ruined on the outskirts of Bangkok, and a rather underpaid friend of mine whose flat just flooded.

So please be a little more considered about referring to 'you Bangkok people' in reference to having any control over any flood decisions. We don't, and the victimhood, current or potential, of people living here is no less concerning or painful than anywhere else. Your problems are not our (persons who happen to live in Bangkok) faults, and if some of us have trouble, it seems quite strange and immature for anyone to imply we 'deserve' it somehow simply for living here where we have no more control over what decisions are made than 'you people' (not in Bangkok) do.

One of the most reasonable and sensible posts I've seen concerning the "I'm suffering so you must suffer" issue. There is no water here in Udon but my heart goes out to everyone affected by this disaster, Thai and Farang likewise. I suppose if I was in Bangkok and in danger of being flooded I would also be disheartened and upset with all the mis-information, contradictory information and political games that are being played at my expense.

[robblok]

If Bangkok had opened their gates earlier this might have been prevented. But they did not want to take any risk and keep their feet dry. Now i can get out of control.

I said the same a while back too much water is coming you cant stop it you have to let it in. I have seen the water.. its still here rising a bit all the time. If one of your precious dams burst it will all come in.

We have felt it here, and i hope you wont get more then us at the depth we have it now its still do able.

How do you know? You are making a huge assumption here and with nothing but a gut feeling and some very sad wishful thinking to back it up. Frankly I doubt that it would have made any difference. The canals are peanuts compared to the flow of the river, and we are talking about draining central Thailand here.

True, but every little bit helps, but you don't seem to understand what is coming. Every little bit would have helped. You have as much hard knowledge as me and also a gut feeling.

I agree that the river is the main thing to drain. But all the land for miles left and right of the river is flooded. So opening the canals would have helped there.

Bangkok should have taken the risk earlier and are now feeling the results of not acting.

Weeks people are reporting no movement in the canals only now then its almost too late you guys started.

I think you are over-personalising this. Although I live in Bangkok, I must have missed that vote on how to handle the flood; indeed, I am very frustrated by the lack of information (maybe my number wasn't on 'the list' of people to call and consult); and additionally I don't seem to be able to locate the buttons on my browser here that control the flood gates.

The flood decisions (and indeed most of the information) are squarely the responsibility and power of a very small number of people, most of whom are at least theoretically in the national government. While the decisions of a small (2 or 3 people, maybe?) number of persons in Bangkok have made a difference, I don't know them, they didn't ask me (or anyone I know here, including many very much not-high-so types) and furthermore if the national government REALLY wanted to, they could assume the authority to override those decisions. Why they haven't done so, I don't know- I keep calling but they put me on hold. Maybe you'll have better luck getting through. A number of people I know, both poor AND rich, would like to get some answers- including a student of mine, whose new house was just finished and then ruined on the outskirts of Bangkok, and a rather underpaid friend of mine whose flat just flooded.

sions. We don't, and the victimhood, current or potential, of people living here is no less concerning or painful than anywhere else. Your problems are not our (persons who happen to live in Bangkok) faults, and if some of us have trouble, it seems quite strange a

So please be a little more considered about referring to 'you Bangkok people' in reference to having any control over any flood decind immature for anyone to imply we 'deserve' it somehow simply for living here where we have no more control over what decisions are made than 'you people' (not in Bangkok) do.

I used Bangkok not Bangkok people. Everyone knows the vote is up to the people in command. However the sentiment of most of the people was Bangkok was too important to risk it. Now its too late.

I am saying here i hope you get as much as me but not more. And that means that it still doable here. That i dont say i hope you keep your feet dry is more about me thinking its a lost race already and hoping it wont get too bad.

But i keep of the opinion that if they had opened the gates earlier it could have been better.

[rubl]

In a statement the Bangkok governor just said

"The Governor stressed that if the flood influxes into the city, the overall situation could turn very critical and BMA will inform the public 24 hours in advance."

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=182197261862818

So 24 hours before we'll get a warning that in 24 hours it will happen. Useful, better than nothing.

Mind you most flooding seems to happen with dikes or levees broken, bit difficult to predict, unless there are some clairvoyant people working for the BMA